Page 54 - the-odyssey

day, since the gods wait upon you thus while you are still so
young. This can have been none other of those who dwell
in heaven than Jove’s redoubtable daughter, the Trito-born,
who shewed such favour towards your brave father among
the Argives. Holy queen,’ he continued, ‘vouchsafe to send
down thy grace upon myself, my good wife, and my chil-
dren. In return, I will offer you in sacrifice a broad-browed
heifer of a year old, unbroken, and never yet brought by
man under the yoke. I will gild her horns, and will offer her
up to you in sacrifice.’
Thus did he pray, and Minerva heard his prayer. He
then led the way to his own house, followed by his sons and
sons in law. When they had got there and had taken their
places on the benches and seats, he mixed them a bowl of
sweet wine that was eleven years old when the housekeeper
took the lid off the jar that held it. As he mixed the wine,
he prayed much and made drink offerings to Minerva,
daughter of Aegis-bearing Jove. Then, when they had made
their drink offerings and had drunk each as much as he
was minded, the others went home to bed each in his own
abode; but Nestor put Telemachus to sleep in the room that
was over the gateway along with Pisistratus, who was the
only unmarried son now left him. As for himself, he slept
in an inner room of the house, with the queen his wife by
his side.
Now when the child of morning rosy-fingered Dawn
appeared, Nestor left his couch and took his seat on the
benches of white and polished marble that stood in front
of his house. Here aforetime sat Neleus, peer of gods in